Space saver drawing holder

ABSTRACT

Disclosed is a space-saving drawing holder whereby drawings, plans, blueprints and the like may be stored so as to conserve space yet to permit quick and easy access thereto. A plurality of brackets are pivotally mounted in stacked fashion to an upstanding frame. Drawings are attached to individual drawing holding members, which may be slid over rods on the brackets when it is desired to store the attached drawings. Once the drawings are mounted on the rods, the brackets may be rotated, as a unit, to, as for example, a space-saving position along a wall. When it is desired to remove a drawing, the appropriate bracket may be selectively isolated and the drawings and attached drawingholding member removed therefrom.

United States Patent Brooks et al.

[ 1 Jan. 18, 1972 [54] SPACE SAVER DRAWING HOLDER [22] Filed: July 11,1969

[21] Appl.No.: 841,063

[52] US. Cl. ..211/47, 24/67.1 24/260,

40/68, 211/168, 248/121 [51] Int. Cl. ..A4715/05, A471 7/1 6 [58] Field ofSearch ..21 1/168, 124, 86, 165-166,

3,333,808 8/1967 Duboff ..21 l/86 X 3,364,528 1/1968 Fletchen. 24/67.1

866,299 9/ 1 907 Parrill ..21 l/48 1,240,611 9/1917 Smith..... 211/48 UX 2,137,749 ll/l938 Best ..211/48 2,913,123 11/1959 Lundberg .....21l/48 3,126,099 3/1964 Powell .2] H47 Primary Examiner-Ramon S. Britta Attorney-Shaffert & Miller [57] ABSTRACT Disclosed is a space-saving drawing holder whereby drawings, plans, blueprints and the like may be stored so as to conserve space yet to permit quick and easy access thereto. A plurality of brackets are pivotally mounted in stacked fashion to an upstanding frame. Drawings are attached to individual drawing holding members, which may he slid over rods on the brackets when it is desired to store the attached drawings. Once the drawings are mounted on the rods, the brackets may be rotated, as a unit, to, as for example, a space-saving position along a wall. When it is desired to remove a drawing, the appropriate bracket may be selectively isolated and the drawings and attached drawing-holding member removed therefrom.

1 Claims, 11 Drawlng Figures PATENTEU JAN 8 I972 SHEET 1 [1F 2 INVENTORS 'OTIS BROOKS BERNARD S. MOLTZ PATENTEVDJAMBIBYZ 3.635.352

SHEET 2 or 2 INVENTOR S ons BROOKS BERNARD s. MOLTZ SPACE SAVER DRAWING HOLDER BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Convenient storage of engineering drawings, plans, blueprints and the like has long been a problem to those who frequently use such drawings, as they are of such size as to require a large storage area. Additionally, frequent retrieval of such drawings is often necessary to make changes thereon or copies thereof.

, Frequently, drawings and the like are stored in large cabinets with a plurality of shallow drawers designed to accommodate a number of such drawings. As the drawings in any given drawer are stacked one uponanother, frequent use of the drawings in a given drawer results in undue wear and tear of the drawings therein. The alternative of reducing the number of drawingsper drawer is such to require an inordinate amount of space.

Some storage systems require that individual drawings be rolled and placed in one of a series of small partitioned spaces or ".pigeon holes." An attendant disadvantage of this system, however, isthat the drawings tend to curl once unrolled, making copying or revision difficult.

Recent advances in the photographic arts have resulted in an increase in the number of microfilm systems available. Cost considerations of such a system are a deterrent, however, for a small business with a relatively small number of drawings. Additionally, each use of a drawing often necessitates the making of a copy thereof, a further expense repeated each time a drawing is used.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The invention of the instant application is a space saver drawing holder that provides a simple means to store engineering drawings, plans, blueprints and the like. A drawingor plan-holding member comprising an elongated tube with a flange or clamping means depending therefrom along the axial extent of the tube is provided to hold each drawing or set of related drawings. Clamping means are provided along the flange such that the drawing or drawings may be fastened to the drawing-holding member.

An upstanding frame or pipe is fixedly mounted adjacent some convenient location, such as a wall, in the area in which drawings are to be stored.

Aplurality of drawing brackets, each comprising a drawing support rod attached to the exterior surface of a short hollow shaft or sleeve, are mounted on the upstanding frame. The interior dimension of the interior bore of' the bracket hollow shaft is of sufficient inside diameter to be freely pivoted about the frame. A spacing member surrounds-the lower portion of the frame such that the lowermost bracket is spaced a sufficient distance from the floor to accommodate a large engineering drawing or the like.

Each drawing bracket is individually mountedand may be pivoted about the frame in a horizontal plane. The drawing- I holding members, andattached drawings, may be slid over the rods for storage, and may be swung to a position against the wall or some other convenient storage location.

Generally all the brackets on a given frame may be swung to one side, or, if more than one frame is mounted in a given area, all the brackets on one frame may be clustered with the same general orientation. To remove a given drawing holder, it is only necessary to pivot those brackets above and below the given holder, such that the given holding member, bracket and attached drawing or drawings, are physically isolated in a manner to provide easy access thereto. The given holding member may be slid off the bracket, and the drawing put to its intended use.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is an elevation view of an embodiment of the space saver drawing holder of the instant invention, showing the brackets rotated to different positions along the frame.

FIG. 2 is a view taken along the line 2-2 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of one embodiment of the individual holding member for the drawings, shown mounted on an individual bracket and with drawing sheets clamped therein.

FIG. 4 is a view taken along the line 4-4 of FIG. 3.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of one embodiment of the hollow shaft pivot member of the bracket means of the instant invention.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of another embodiment of the hollow shaft pivot member of the bracket means of the instant invention. 7

FIG. 7 is an elevation view of a spherical ball joint at the end of the drawing holder frame and shown in the position to mount the frame on a ceiling.

FIG. 8 is an elevation view of the same member as FIG. 7, but shown in the position to mount the frame on a wall.

FIG. 9 is a perspective view of another embodiment of the individual holding member for the drawings with one of the clamping means shown in section. 1

FIG. 10 is a view taken on line 10-10 of FIG. 9. I

FIG. 11 is a cross-sectional view of another embodiment of a means to mount the space saver. drawing holder in a desired location.

DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Turning now to a detailed description of a preferred embodiment of the instant invention, reference is made to FIGS. 1 and 2 wherein is shown the space saver drawing holder. Upstanding frame 1 is characterized by a pipe or rod 2 with a mounting means 3 on both ends of pipe 2. Mounting means 3 is subsequently described in greater detail with particular reference to FIGS. 7, 8 and 11, and is employed to attach the space saver drawing holder to fixed surfaces at the desired location of said holder.

A plurality of drawing brackets 4 are rotatably or pivotally mounted on the upper portion of pipe 2. As subsequently described in greater detail with particular reference to FIGS. 5 and 6, the drawing brackets are each characterized by a hollow shaft portion 5 and rod 6 attached to the exterior surface of hollow shaft portion 5.

A spacer member 7 surrounds pipe 2 below the plurality of drawing brackets 4 and serves to space the brackets from the floor or lower horizontal surface a sufficient distance to accommodate a drawing clamped in the lowermost bracket. It is understood that other types of spacer members are contemplated by the instant disclosure and, though not illustrated, may take the form, as for example, of a pin transversely passing through pipe 2 immediately below the lowermost bracket. The end surface of the hollow shaft of the lowermost bracket would, in this instance, rest on the pin and thus the brackets would be spaced from the floor or lower horizontal surface.

FIG. 2 is a top view of the holder of FIG. 1 and is illustrative of the manner in which the drawing brackets may be rotated in horizontal planes about pipe 2. Each bracket is individually rotatable, although it is readily apparent that all the brackets may be rotated as a unit if they are all moved together. As such, once drawings are hung from the individual brackets, the overlapping relationship of these drawings allows them all to be easily rotated to a position of storage, as for example, flat against wall W.

One means employed to mount the drawings on the space saver drawing holder is now described, with particular reference to FIGS. 3 and 4. The individual drawing-holding member 8 is characterized by an elongated tube 9 with flange portions 10 and 11 depending therefrom along substantially the entire axial extent of tube 9. Holes 12 pass through the flanges at a number of locations along the length of the flanges (FIG. 3). Passing through each set of holes 12 is a bolt 13 and wingnut 14. The sheet or sheets of drawings 15 to be attached to the drawing-holding member are placed between the flanges and the bolts and wingnuts serve to tighten the flanges together, thereby clamping the drawings in place.

Tube 9 has an inside diameter of sufficient size to pass over rod 6 of drawing bracket 4, and once the sheets of drawings are clamped onto drawing-holding member 8, they may be conveniently stored by sliding the same over the rods of the brackets. It is to be understood that the drawings may have holes punched along one edge that are spaced to correspond to the spacing of holes 12 in holder 8. In such an instance, bolts 13 would pass through the holes in the drawings, thereby more securely attaching the drawings to the holding member.

A second embodiment of means to mount the drawings on the space saver drawing holder is described with particular reference to FIGS. 9 and 10. The individual drawing-holding member 16 is characterized by an elongated U-shaped member 17 that has spaced therealong clamp means 18. Clamp means 18 are attached to the U-shaped member 17 by a T-shaped screw member 19 and wingnut 20, with screw member 19 passing through a hole 21 and through connecting web 170 of member 17.

As best seen in the sectional portion of FIG. 9, the head of screw member 19 lies along substantially the full extent of clamp means 18 and, with reference to FIG. 10, when wingnut 20 is turned to tighten the clamp, the clamp means 18 is pulled into the interior of member 17. Edge 17b of the U-shaped member 17 engages surface 18a of clamp 18 and as clamp 18 is drawn further into member 17, the camming action of the engagement between the U-shaped member and the clamp surface causes flanges 18b to move together. Sheets of drawings placed between flanges 18b may be securely held in this manner.

Hooks 22, attached to web 17a of U-shaped member 17, serve as the means to attach drawing-holding member 16 to bracket 4 and are of such size as to accommodate rod 6 of bracket 4.

It is to be noted that the drawing-holding member 16, illustrated in FIGS. 9 and 10, is commercially available under the name Plan Hold" but must be modified for use in our space saver drawing holder by bending and rotating hooks 22 90 such that they will axially slide over rod 6 of bracket 4.

Bracket 4 is more particularly described with reference to FIG. wherein, as a first embodiment, a single hollow shaft member 5 is shown mounted on pipe 2. Rod 6 is attached, as by welding, to the exterior cylindrical surface of member 5 such that rod 6 is perpendicular to the axis of the hollow shaft member 5 and pipe 2. The attachment point 23 is approximately midway between the two end surfaces of hollow shaft 5. It is understood that a plurality of brackets 4 are mounted on pipe or frame 2, as is shown in FIG. 1, and, as an aid in locating a particular drawing, each member 5 has visual indicia 24 thereon. Typically, this indicia may be numbers or letters permanently or temporarily attached to the hollow shaft 5, as for example, adhesive stickers which may be furnished with the apparatus of the invention.

End surfaces 25 are formed with a smooth bearing surface as they are in contact with the end surfaces of adjacent hollow shaft members and must be able to move relative thereto. If desired, bearing inserts 26 of low-friction material may be mounted on both end surfaces 25. When a relatively large number of sheets of drawings are placed on the upper brackets, an appreciable amount of weight may be placed upon the lower hollow shaft member, and such bearing inserts will facilitate the rotation of individual brackets about the frame.

Another embodiment of bracket 4 is now described with particular reference to FIG. 6. The same reference numbers are used in FIG. 6 to designate elements that are not changed from the embodiment shown in FIG. 5.

In the embodiment shown in FIG. 6, hollow shaft member 5a is formed in the shape of a cube and has square end surfaces 25a. As an alternative to inserts 26 mounted on the end surfaces, low-friction material spacer washers 27 may be placed between adjacent hollow shaft members 50. It is to be understood that such bearing inserts or spacer washers are not essential to the operation of the instant device and may be omitted.

One embodiment of mounting means 3, by which the frame 2 is fixedly attached to a surface, is described in greater detail with particular reference to FIGS. 7 and 8. Each end of pipe 2 has a mounting means 3 thereon characterized by a ball and socket swivel joint 28 with a fastening plate 29 attached to the free end of the joint. Swivel joint 28 and its attached plate 29 may be swiveled or rotated to the frame 2 such that plate 29 may be attached to a horizontal surface such as a floor or ceiling C (FIG. 7) or may be attached to a vertical surface such as wall W (FIG. 8). As aforementioned, each end of pipe 2 has a mounting means 3 attached thereto so that the lower end of pipe 2 may be attached to either the ceiling or wall.

When swivel joint 28 is employed as a wall mount, as illustrated in FIG. 8, it is only necessary to rotate mounting plate 29 90 such that mounting plate rod 31 is positioned in slot 20 of the swivel joint.

Another embodiment of mounting means 3, by which the frame 2 is attached to a surface, is described in greater detail with particular reference to FIG. 1 1. One or both ends of pipe 2 has a pin 32 passing therethrough which serves as a stop means for spring 33. Spring 33 bears against end plate element 34 and tends to bias the end plate against a surface, as for example, a floor or ceiling. End plate 34 is held in alignment with pipe 2 by element 34A, which element is in telescoping relationship with pipe 2. Surface 35 on end plate 34 is of such a nature as to assure frictional engagement with the surface that it contacts. Surface 35 may be, as for example, a grooved resilient plate or pad.

End plate 34 may be slidably attached to pipe 2 so that it remains attached when not biased toward a contacting surface. As for example, spring 33 may be attached to both pin 32 and end plate 34. Alternatively, element 34A may have mechanical interlock means cooperating with pipe 2.

It is noted that spring 33 is chosen to have sufficient strength to support the space saver drawing holder when same is supporting a number of drawings. It is also noted that a mounting means as illustrated in FIG. 11 may be mounted at both ends of pipe 2 or, if desired, mounted at only one end of pipe 2. In the latter alternative, a fixed friction plate or similar device would be mounted at the other end of the pipe.

The following dimension are given only as an example of dimensions suitable for certain of the elements of an embodiment of the instant invention. Frame 2 may be a length of 1- inch diameter pipe of SUffiCICI'lI length to space the lowermost drawings from the floor. I-Iollow shaft 5 may be a Elva-inch length of Ila-inch diameter pipe and rod 6 may be a 30-inch length of %-inch diameter rod. Other dimensions are necessarily a function of the size of the drawings to be mounted on the holder and the size of the area of the room in which the holder is to be used.

I-Iaving particularly described these embodiments of our invention, it is understood that the forms of the invention as illustrated herein should be considered as merely exemplary of the full scope of the invention.

We claim:

1. A space saver article holder for quickly and conveniently storing and displaying a planar article comprising a vertically disposed hollow elongated cylindrical pipe having a first end and a second end, means for supporting said first end on a first surface, said last mentioned means comprising a pin extending from a first point on the exterior surface of said hollow elongated cylindrical pipe through the hollow interior of said hollow elongated cylindrical pipe to a second point on the opposed exterior surface of said hollow elongated cylindrical pipe, an end plate having a grooved resilient surface disposed immediately adjacent to said first surface, a spring in its compressed position disposed between said pin and said end plate so as to bias said grooved resilient surface against said first surface and so as to bias said pin and thereby said hollow elongated cylindrical pipe in a direction away from said first surface, a peripheral element disposed partially within said elongated cylindrical pipe, said peripheral element surrounding at least a portion of said spring, said peripheral element being connected to said end plate, a ball-receiving socket rigidly connected to said second end of said hollow elongated cylindrical pipe, a ball rotatably disposed within said ball-receiving socket, a mounting plate rod rigidly connected to said ball, a support member rigidly connected to said mounting plate rod, means for rigidly connecting said support member to a second surface thereby mounting said second end of said hollow elongated cylindrical pipe to said second surface, an axially extending slot within a wall portion of said ball receiving socket adapted to receive said mounting plate rod to permit attachment of said second end of said hollow elongated cylindrical pipe to either a horizontal or a vertical surface, a hollow elongated cylindrical spacer member having its inside diameter slightly greater than the outside diameter of said hollow elongated cylindrical pipe, said hollow elongated cylindrical spacer member being rotatably disposed about said hollow elongated cylindrical pipe adjacent the lower end of said hollow elongated cylindrical pipe, a plurality of similarly shaped hollow cylindrical bracket members disposed end to end on said hollow elongated cylindrical pipe, each of said hollow cylindrical bracket members having an inside diameter slightly greater than the outside diameter of said hollow elongated cylindrical pipe, each of said hollow cylindrical bracket members being rotatably disposed about said hollow elongated cylindrical pipe, said hollow cylindrical bracket members having smooth bearing end surfaces, at least one of said end surfaces having an annular insert of low-friction material mounted therein, at least one of said annular inserts being disposed between each pair of adjacent end surfaces of said hollow cylindrical bracket members so that adjacent hollow cylindrical bracket members are easily rotatable with respect to each other, each of said hollow cylindrical bracket members having identifiable indicia thereon, each of said hollow cylindrical bracket members having an article support rod rigidly connected thereto, a plurality of article-holding mem bers, each of said article-holding members including a tubular portion having a longitudinal slot throughout the length thereof and having an inside diameter slightly greater than the outside diameter of said article support rod so that said articleholding members are slidably disposed with respect to each of said article support rods, each of said article-holding members further including first and second substantially parallel flange portions extending along opposed edges of said longitudinal slot, said first and said second flange portions each having an opening therein, said opening in said first flange portion being aligned with said opening in said second flange portion, flange adjustment means disposed within said openings in said first and said second flange portions, said flange adjustment means being operable to vary the spacing between said first flange portion and said second flange portion in order to altematively release and grasp an article therebetween. 

1. A space saver article holder for quickly and conveniently storing and displaying a planar article comprising a vertically disposed hollow elongated cylindrical pipe having a first end and a second end, means for supporting said first end on a first surface, said last mentioned means comprising a pin extending from a first point on the exterior surface of said hollow elongated cylindrical pipe through the hollow interior of said hollow elongated cylindrical pipe to a second point on the opposed exterior surface of said hollow elongated cylindrical pipe, an end plate having a grooved resilient surface disposed immediately adjacent to said first surface, a spring in its compressed position disposed between said pin and said end plate so as to bias said grooved resilient surface against said first surface and so as to bias said pin and thereby said hollow elongated cylindrical pipe in a direction away from said first surface, a peripheral element disposed partially within said elongated cylindrical pipe, said peripheral element surrounding at least a portion of said spring, said peripheral element being connected to said end plate, a ball-receiving socket rigidly connected to said second end of said hollow elongated cylindrical pipe, a ball rotatably disposed within said ball-receiving socket, a mounting plate rod rigidly connected to said ball, a support member rigidly connected to said mounting plate rod, means for rigidly connecting said support member to a second surface thereby mounting said second end of said hollow elongated cylindrical pipe to said second surface, an axially extending slot within a wall portion of said ball receiving socket adapted to receive said mounting plate rod to permit attachment of said second end of said hollow elongated cylindrical pipe to either a horizontal or a vertical surface, a hollow elongated cylindrical spacer member having its inside diameter slightly greater than the outside diameter of said hollow elongated cylindrical pipe, said hollow elongated cylindrical spacer member being rotatably disposed about said hollow elongated cylindrical pipe adjacent the lower end of said hollow elongated cylindrical pipe, a plurality of similarly shaped hollow cylindrical bracket members disposed end to end on said hollow elongated cylindrical pipe, each of said hollow cylindrical bracket members having an inside diameter slightly greater than the outside diameter of said hollow elongated cylindrical pipe, each of said hollow cylindrical bracket members being rotatably disposed about said hollow elongated cylindrical pipe, said hollow cylindrical bracket members having smooth bearing end surfaces, at least one of said end surfaces having an annular insert of low-friction material mounted therein, at least one of said annular inserts being disposed between each pair of adjacent end surfaces of said hollow cylindrical bracket members so that adjacent hollow cylindrical bracket members are easily rotatable with respect to each other, each of said hollow cylindrical bracket members having identifiable indicIa thereon, each of said hollow cylindrical bracket members having an article support rod rigidly connected thereto, a plurality of article-holding members, each of said article-holding members including a tubular portion having a longitudinal slot throughout the length thereof and having an inside diameter slightly greater than the outside diameter of said article support rod so that said article-holding members are slidably disposed with respect to each of said article support rods, each of said article-holding members further including first and second substantially parallel flange portions extending along opposed edges of said longitudinal slot, said first and said second flange portions each having an opening therein, said opening in said first flange portion being aligned with said opening in said second flange portion, flange adjustment means disposed within said openings in said first and said second flange portions, said flange adjustment means being operable to vary the spacing between said first flange portion and said second flange portion in order to alternatively release and grasp an article therebetween. 